A.R.T T.H.E.R.A.P.Y

Journal reflection: Exploring the role of Neurographic Art in mental health  #KitaArtBersama I came across neurographic art a few years back and have been wanting to include it in my art practice. Recently, I was experiencing some internal conflicts, and there was a voice inside me calling for artistic expression. Last month, I dedicated myself to creating three neurographic artworks each week in June (Figure 1 - 3). I found the process to be meditative, therapeutic, and calming. The visual symbols in these series of artworks narrated a journey of internal healing for me. What is neurographic art ? Originating from the mind of Russian psychologist Pavel Piskarev in 2014, neurographic art invites participants to express their subconscious through abstract drawing. This process is not only therapeutic but also profoundly meditative, allowing one to explore the depths of their psyche through lines and shapes. The initial stage of creating spontaneous lines felt liberating and

💯 Inspiring Art Therapy Moments: Personal Stories     This time it was an utterly sensory-engaged experience. Last Sunday - 6th August, a messy play party was conducted for toddlers aged 2 - 3 years; some went directly into the play while some took some time to get comfortable with the mess. But that's okay! Let the children show you how to play! Each child has a way of playing - in this matter, getting messy. They explore with their senses and come to a level where they get comfortable with the mess and become engaged with the process. It seems hard to believe at first but it's the truth. There was one toddler who was surprised to get paint on their legs, therefore he cried. We used some distractions - our favourite, bubbles; he became calmer thereafter. After some time, he watched his mother and the facilitators model the play to him, and he began to explore paints with tools. While other children were playing with bubbles, he was too engrossed in his exploration and refuse

💯 Inspiring Art Therapy Moments: Personal Stories MESSY PLAY is a multi-sensory experience for < Little Messy Champs >, and when the parents join together, it fosters positive bonding and interaction and encourages communication and expression.  "Excuse the mess; the children are making memories."  It was an exciting experience to plan and prepare for this "messy party" (the way my participants called it) tailored to children as young as 3-year-olds to 9-year-olds, as well as their parents. As it was my first time organising the event from scratch, there was a mixture of excitement, anxiety, anticipation, and fear of making mistakes. Days before the event, my mind was restless. I kept going through the flow of the programme, checking if all the materials were enough and if the activities were age-appropriate. To be honest, it was not easy to plan alone, but I was glad that the party was a success. The parents were very encouraging and wished to have more i

  💯 Inspiring Art Therapy Moments: Personal Stories The Power of Being with the clients: Therapist's perspective The struggle was real when you had clients who are quiet and not responding to any art-making. I recalled the first time I met a young client of mine who refused to do anything and only wanted to stand near the door. She had a bad childhood trauma and was constantly anxious about being around people. Drawing is her favourite activity. For her to reject drawing in the classroom suggested her discomfort. I had to reassure and validate her feelings and allow her to get comfortable with the room and the centre. I realised that my over-talking may also add to her anxiety, hence I decided to stay silent after informing her that I was going to draw a little and show her after I completed it. I then invited her to join me when she was ready. I felt relieved when she nodded her head upon understanding my invitation. I noticed that throughout my art-making, she never once had her

Journey , 2022, mixed media on a canvas    I truly enjoyed the process of creating at the moment and slowly witnessing the emergence of symbols with significant meanings.      I created Journey from the mid of August to early September 2022 as a part of my self-care and a reflective piece towards my clinical practice. During this time, I was on the verge of burning out, hence needed to get away from work temporarily. At the corner of my cabinet, I noticed the long-forgotten canvas and I thought to myself "How about painting on it?".       I started by simply selecting the colours that best represented my moods at that time and exploring the wet-on-wet technique on the canvas. Looking at how the paint flowed and merged with other colours provided me with an outlet to express spontaneously which regulated my feelings and calmed my thoughts. I repeated this process until I felt it was good enough for me - that my feelings and thoughts were normalised.      Next, I at

Breaking expectations , 2021, acrylic paints and collages on an A5 paper      I was feeling slightly frustrated and angry after my session. However, I was unsure of why I was feeling so. I created " breaking expectations" to explore my emotions. I cut the artwork I created during the session into smaller pieces and remake it into a collage. Both these processes of cutting and pasting somehow created a sense of repetitiveness and henceforth brought me into a state of calmness and a here-and-now moment. Looking at the artwork, I felt stuffy as if I was shut inside those tiny pieces and was unable to escape. I included the collage phrase "break expectations just for a moment" because it really resonated with my emotions. After careful introspection and reflection, I learnt that the feelings I felt were due to the expectations I had for the session. The process of making this piece provides a deeper insight. Through the creative process, it offers a way to v